Question Background

The sad situation of the homeless remains a problem. It is difficult to estimate how many people are homeless because the number depends on how the homeless are defined. There are street people - those who sleep in bus stations, parks, and other areas. Many of these people are youthful runaways. There are the so-called sheltered homeless - those who sleep in government supported or privately funded shelters. Many of these individuals used to live with their families or friends. While street people are almost always single, the sheltered homeless include numerous families with children.